The Forgotten Daughter
by AmericanEagleGirl17
Summary: Melinda and Jim's daughter, Hayden Andrea, was taken at eight years old. Now, seven years later, she's finally found, but she doesn't remember who she is. Can Melinda and Jim help their daughter?
1. Chapter 1

**The Forgotten Daughter**

This is another different story of mine, that I was planning on posting after _Time Goes By Too Fast, _but I wanted to write it to see if anyone wants me to continue or not. If I don't get any reviews, this will be a one shot. Hayden is Melinda and Jim's daughter, (the one she miscarried in 4x05). Melinda didn't miscarry this baby, Jim doesn't die, and they live in the same house, as happy as we saw with Aiden in the show. They named her after Aiden, Jim's dad, and Andrea. They were happy… until Hayden disappears. Please review, and don't forget to check out my other fic!

_**Chapter One**_

_2017_

Melinda watched in happiness as her eight year old daughter, Hayden Clancy, and husband Jim, ran together towards their truck.

They were going on their annual camping trip, and everything was set. They just needed to get into the truck.

Melinda locked up, and they were off. They were signing to the radio on the way, like they always do.

Once they arrived in the woods, Hayden jumped into Jim's arms as she was getting out of the truck.

"I love you, daddy!" she exclaimed, kissing his cheek.

"I love you too, my little princess," said Jim, before he twirled her around and put her down.

She giggled, and ran and hugged Melinda. Melinda giggled and hugged her daughter back.

Hayden was the most adorable little girl in Grandview. She has dark chocolate brown hair, deep, big, brown eyes, a wide dimpled smile, and freckles, which Melinda and Jim didn't know where they came from. The ghosts adored her too. It was her charm most of the time that helps cross them over.

As they were setting up, Hayden tried to carry wood for the fire, but she dropped it, she was too small.

Melinda rushed over to her.

"Hayden, don't do that, that's a daddy's job."

Hayden nodded.

"Ok, maybe Carl can help daddy!" Melinda sighed, and looked at Carl, who was standing next to the truck.

She left Hayden with Jim, and she went over to Carl.

"What's going on, Carl?" she asked him, annoyed.

"I just wanted to warn you. There was a new writing in the Book this morning."

Melinda gave him a look.

"What?"

"Hayden Andrea Clancy will be forgotten."

Melinda's eyes widened, and she backed away.

"What on earth does that mean?" she asked, terrified.

Carl shook his head.

"We don't know yet, but keep your eyes on her." he disappeared, and Melinda turned around.

Jim and Hayden were playing tag. Melinda was afraid, for Hayden's safety.

They made hamburgers for supper, and they sat around the campfire.

Hayden and her parents sang songs again, and when they were done, they were all laughing. Melinda forgot about what Carl said.

A little while later, they saw that Hayden was getting tired.

"I think it's time for our little girl to go to bed," said Jim, as he picked her up, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

Melinda nearly cried because of this, because it looked so perfect.

Once she was snug inside her sleeping bag, Melinda and Jim kissed her goodnight, and left.

Melinda and Jim talked in front of the campfire for awhile, and then they went into the tent.

At the middle of the night, Hayden needed to go to the bathroom. She knew she was supposed to asked her mother or father to come with her, but she didn't want to wake them.

So, she took her flashlight and went out. She went quite a ways.

On the way back, she tripped over a rock, and her flashlight rolled down the hill and went into the stream. She got scared, being out there alone in the dark.

She was about to get up, but she felt arms wrap around her waist.

She didn't have time to scream, as a cloth was put over her little mouth and everything turned black.

The next morning, Melinda woke up, smiling. She looked at Jim, and stroked his cheek.

Jim smiled and opened his eyes.

"Good morning, sweetie," he told her as he sat up.

He looked at the spot where Hayden was.

"Where's Hayden?" he asked in alarm.

They looked at each other in panic, and they got out of the tent.

They called Hayden's name several times.

"HAYDEN, WHERE ARE YOU PRINCESS?" Jim yelled, and they were running frantically around.

After half an hour of searching, they called the police. It was Jim and Melinda's worst nightmare, as they watched the cops search around.

By night time, they only found Hayden's flashlight.

As Jim and Melinda were going through their tent, Melinda took Hayden's teddy bear and squeezed it tight.

She couldn't stop crying all day.

"Please, Hayden, come home safe."

_2024_

Melinda cried, seeing the pregnancy test results in her hands.

Negative, once again. First, her daughter was taken and is probably dead, and now she can't have another baby. Life was unfair for the past seven long years for her and Jim.

They keep on thinking of what could have been.

Hayden would have been nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Last month, in August, she would have turned fifteen. Jim and Melinda pray every night that she will return home safe, but the police have given up years ago.

Her and Jim still go to the woods to look for her, even if it's a skeleton, they just wanted to find her.

Melinda took a deep breath, and went out into the hall. She glanced at Hayden's doorway, which has her drawings still on it.

Melinda closed her eyes and continued towards her room.

Jim was sitting on their bed, waiting for her. He could tell by the look on her face what the results were.

"I was sure I was pregnant this time," said Mel, as she sat on the bed beside him.

He kissed her hair, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

She let the tears fall, and so did Jim. They wanted a child so badly.

They both know that a baby wont replace Hayden, but they just wanted to love someone other than themselves.

To take the pain away that they go through every damned day.

They didn't know how to get over perfection.

**PLEASE review! love you all:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them, and I think this will be a good story as well. Ambernicole, thanks for the idea, but my chapters were pre-written already. But I would have definitely would have used it, it's a great idea. Hope you all enjoy this, it's really creepy but yeah... and please review! :) **

**_Chapter Two_  
**

A couple of miles away, in a town called Sunnyways, Tessa Ridge was getting ready to go out with her mother, Clarissa.

She applied tons of makeup, and put on a long blonde wig over her curly brown hair. She always wondered why she had to do this, but her parents got angry when she asked. They are extremely strict with her. They don't want her to have any friends, boyfriends, or barely any contact with anyone.

She is home schooled, and is only allowed to go out in their backyard, where they bought her a nice kidney shaped pool, and a trampoline.

They spoil her rotten, and she gets all the things she wants.

Once a year though, to spend her birthday money, Clarissa takes her to the mall, which was a huge treat to her.

But, she has to wear a wig. She thought it was strange, but she loves her parents to death. After all, they are all she has, and they love her so much as well.

They don't want to lose her.

When she was ready, Tessa headed down the stairs and went into the kitchen. She sat beside her father on the island.

"Morning, daddy!" she exclaimed, kissing his cheek.

"Good morning, Theresa," he said, giving her a kiss back.

"DAD! When are you going to call me Tessa, you know I prefer Tessa, not Theresa."

He chuckled.

"I know, honey, but I'd rather call you the name you were born with." Tessa rolled her eyes, and drank her orange juice.

Then, Clarissa came in.

"Hi, Tessa, Benjamin. I can see that you're ready to go to the mall." she told her daughter.

Tessa smiled.

"Yeah, well, you know how much I look forward to going out, since I barely do." she said, all of a sudden looking sad.

Clarissa sighed, and sat with her husband and daughter.

"You know we are doing this for your own good, Tessa, sweetheart. It's a dangerous world out there, and we don't want you to get hurt." she said, rubbing Tessa's back.

"I know, mom, but I just turned fifteen! I want to make my own decisions."

" We know dear, but we will always make your decisions for you, and we will give you a wonderful life, in here. But, not outside those doors."

Tessa bit her lip and nodded.

"By the way… we found a husband for you."

Tessa looked at her father in shock.

"Husband?"

"Yes, darling. His name is Cole, and he's an old family friend. He really wants to marry you. He's already been to university, so he can provide you with everything you and your children will need."

Tessa looked at him in disgust.

"Children? He wants to have children? How old is he?"

"He's in his late twenties, and is ready to settle down-,"

"But, daddy, I don't want to have kids!" she protested, and nearly begun to cry.

"Your mother married me at fourteen, and got pregnant with you at fifteen, and we've been very happy. We want you to be happy as well-,"

Tessa jumped off her stool and headed towards the door.

"THERESA!" he yelled after her.

Tessa grabbed her handbag.

"Let's go, mother," she mumbled as she got on her shoes.

Clarissa sighed and got ready. They both headed towards the garage. Once the were into their SUV, they backed out and they were off to the mall.

...

Melinda and Jim were in their truck, driving towards town square.

They both looked miserable, as they drove past the baby store, close to the store.

As they pulled up in front of the store, Delia was standing in front of it, waving. Jim and Mel put their happy faces on.

"Hey, you two!" she exclaimed as they were getting out of the truck.

"I'm on my way to the Sunnyways mall. Do you want to close the store for the day and join?" Jim agreed, since he has the day off.

Melinda agreed, to keep her mind off Hayden and babies. They were soon on the road towards Sunnyways.

Once they arrived, they went to Macy's. Melinda went over to the Women's section with Delia, while Jim looked at the tools.

As Mel was looking over the dress rack, a young blonde came over and looked on the other side. Then, a young red head came over beside her.

"You know, while we're here, we can buy a wedding dress," said the red head.

Melinda presumed it was the blonde's mother.

"I told you mom, I don't want to get married, yet anyways!" said the blonde, taking a yellow dress out and looked at it.

Melinda's heart hurt. Yellow was Hayden's absolute favourite colour.

The mother put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I'll talk to your father about it, ok? But he really wants you to get married, before your next birthday."

The girl shook her mother's hand away.

"What was it like, mom, marrying a guy sixteen years older than you, at fourteen?"

The mother sighed.

"I have to admit, I was very unhappy at first, but then I got pregnant with you, then, well, everything was meant to be. It will be perfect for you too, honey."

The girl sighed.

"We'll see. I want this dress."

Then, they walked away. Delia came beside Melinda.

"I just overheard that. Wow, that girl seems so young, and her parents want her to get married?"

"It's sick. I would have never forced Hayden to do anything like that."

Delia put her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"She would have been fifteen this year, right?"

Melinda didn't say anything and walked away. Delia felt so terrible for Melinda and Jim. She couldn't imagine what is was like, not knowing where your child is, or not knowing if they are dead or alive for seven years.

Little did she know, they were looking right at her.

A few minutes later, Tessa and Clarissa were in another store.

Once Tessa picked what she wanted, they headed towards the cash.

The lady was reading a magazine, with the main story '_The Missing Children Of The Past Decade'. _The picture on the front was Hayden, in a canoe with Jim.

"That poor little angel," said the cashier, scanning Tessa's items.

"It was seven years last week. I remember when it happened, everyone all over the country was keeping an eye out for that sweetheart. I wonder what happened to her."

Clarissa put her hands on Tessa's shoulders.

"What do they think happened to her?" she asked the cashier, looking around.

"At first, they thought a coyote ate her, which really gets under my skin. Then, they thought she was molested then killed, or she just plain ran away. But, everyone said she was the happiest girl, she would never run away. Man, the parents were devastated, still are. They can't move on. I went into the mother's store in Grandview a few weeks ago, and she looked so depressed. The husband, too. A couple of years ago, he tried to commit suicide, he said to Dateline, but he stayed alive for his wife. Brought me to tears when they said on the tenth anniversary they'd make a tombstone for her, with or without her little body, and they'll have a funeral."

The cashier grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes.

Tessa felt horrible as they left the mall. She couldn't stop thinking about Hayden Clancy all the way home.

Once they pulled in the driveway, Clarissa remote to open the garage door wouldn't work.

"Stay in the car," she ordered Tessa as she got out and headed towards the house.

Tessa couldn't help herself, and got out, and looked around the neighbourhood.

The neighbour across the street was reading _The Missing Children Of The Past Decade. _She looked up to see Tessa standing in the front yard. She wondered who she was, since she never saw Benjamin or Clarissa with a young girl before.

She eyed her suspiciously.

The garage door opened and Clarissa came out.

"THERESA RIDGE, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" yelled Clarissa, as she ran towards Tessa.

"I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT WOULD OF HAPPENED IF I STOOD IN THE FRONT YARD, MOTHER!" Tessa yelled back.

Clarissa grabbed her arms.

"In the house, right now, Theresa!" she demanded.

"NO! AND YOU KNOW WHAT…," Tessa pushed her mother away and took her wig off, which released her long, dark brown hair.

She then grabbed her water bottle from her purse, and sprayed her face with the water. The neighbour could tell even from far, the girl has small freckles on her face. She was gorgeous.

"See, mom, nothing happened! What are you so afraid of?"

Clarissa didn't respond, and dragged Tessa into the house.

The neighbour flipped over to the Hayden Clancy article, and looked at the picture of what Hayden would look like today.

She gasped, and dialled 911.

That girl was Hayden Clancy.

**hmmm... i hope you know what to do... please review and i'll continue lol!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey, everyone. Happy belated valentines day. I'm afraid this isn't going to be romantic... like A Walk To Remember, sniff. Ok, anyways... sorry I haven't posted in awhile... I'm concentrating more on _Time Goes By Too Fast _at the moment, hope you'll forgive me. When it will be done, expect more updates for this fic. Omg... I'll be sad when _TGBTF _ends! WHAAAA! lol... anyways, enjoy. **

_**Chapter Three**_

_The Same Day_

Once Detective Louis heard that someone had spotted Hayden Clancy, he immediately rushed with the police over to Sunnyways.

He had been on the case since the beginning, and one of his goals before he died was to find little Hayden, or teenage Hayden, which she would be now.

At the Ridge house, Tessa was watching tv in the living room and Benjamin and Clarissa were discussing what to do with the wedding problem. Then, they heard the sirens. Sirens that they were hoping never to hear.

"Oh no," said Benjamin, and they hurried into the living room.

He grabbed Tessa.

"Daddy, what are you doing?" she asked him, as the three of them were going into the basement.

"No time. Clarissa, open the passage door, now!" he yelled, as he heard the sirens right outside.

She moved a table, which revealed a passage door behind it. It was opened, and Clarissa and Tessa got in. Benjamin moved the table against the wall again, and closed the passage door. He got two flashlights, money, and keys that were beneath the dirt. They started crawling.

"Daddy, where are we going? Why are the cops upstairs?" Tessa asked, as they turned, and the tunnel was big enough so they can run in it.

He didn't answer, and they started running.

"Mom, what's going on?" Tessa asked, afraid.

"You should have never stepped on the lawn," she told Tessa, and they continued running.

The cops upstairs, searched the entire house. No Hayden, but they knew for certain she was there, based on things hidden in Benjamin's office. They found every article of Hayden that was ever written, dvds of news reports, documents about her life, and so much more, including a video surveillance system she didn't know about.

There were tons of pictures of the day of Hayden's kidnapping, when they were at the house, the campsite, ect.. There were even documents on Melinda and Jim.

It frightened Detective Louis.

"Did you call her parents yet?" his partner asked him.

"I'll call them when we have her. I don't want to put them through turmoil. They've been through enough already."

Meanwhile, the Ridges came to the end of the tunnel. They climbed up a ladder, and they were outside. There was a garage there, in the middle of the woods.

Clarissa opened the garage door, and they entered a nice, never used SUV. Once they were in, Benjamin turned it on, and they drove out of the woods.

They were on the highway. Benjamin was trying to go fast.

A parked cop car noticed speeding, so he turned onto the highway, and sped after the SUV.

"Mom, Dad, what's happening?" Tessa yelled, tears rolling down her face.

Clarissa sighed, and got in the back.

"Tessa… it's clear that we aren't going to win this. We just wanted you to know that we love you so much, and we always will. We fell in love with you the first time we saw your face, and we wanted to have you." said Clarissa, stroking Tessa's cheek.

"What do you mean… wanted to have me, mom?" she asked, as two other cop cars begun chasing them.

Clarissa took Tessa in her arms.

"No matter what happens, you'll always be our little girl," she whispered, and she cried, too.

"We knew they'd find you someday." said Benjamin, and he slowed down the car.

"Daddy, what are you doing?" she asked, confused.

Then, the cop cars surrounded them. Clarissa hugged Tessa one last time.

"Mom, what's happening?" asked Tessa through tears.

The cops surrounded them.

Clarissa let go of Tessa.

"Bye, bye, baby." she said, and the cops opened the doors.

Benjamin put his gun to his head and pulled the trigger before the cops could stop him. Clarissa and Tessa both screamed.

"DADDY!" Tessa screamed, and cried even harder.

"He wasn't your daddy, sweetheart." Tessa turned her head, and there was detective Louis.

"Who are you?" she asked through tears.

"I'm one of the many nice guys who's been looking for you, Hayden."

She scooted away a bit, and nearly fell out of the SUV.

"My name's Tessa!" she screamed.

"No it's not. I don't know what they told you, but your name is Hayden Andrea Clancy, and I know two people who really want to see you."

"Who?" she asked, and begun to tremble.

"Your parents, of course!"

Hayden jumped out of the SUV.

"MOM! What's going on?" she yelled as she watched Clarissa being put in the cop car.

"MOMMA!" she yelled, as the car drove away.

She fell to her knees, and cried once again.

Later that day, Melinda and Jim dropped Delia off.

Then, they went home.

Melinda went upstairs to put her things away.

When she went back into the corridor, she heard a child's giggle.

It was one she recognized immediately. It was Hayden's.

"HAYDEN?" Melinda exclaimed.

She barged into Hayden's room, and she saw Hayden, holding a drawing.

"Look at my drawing, Mommy!" she exclaimed.

Melinda begun to cry.

"Hayden, baby…," Melinda begun, and tried to hug Hayden.

Hayden slowly disappeared.

"NO HAYDEN, COME BACK!" Melinda screamed, and cried harder.

She glanced at the drawing on the table. She looked at the unmade bed. She looked at the toys on the floor. Melinda only comes in here, to clean. They haven't gotten around to cleaning out her room.

Melinda knew in her heart Hayden was gone. But, she couldn't let go.

Afterwards, her and Jim went to the grocery store. At the cash, she looked at the magazines. 

_Justin Bieber Married! _they all said.

Melinda sighed. Hayden was crazy for him.

Then, they were back in the truck.

"Melinda, I forgot some paperwork at the hospital… can we go?" Melinda nodded and they drove to the hospital.

There was a news crew getting set up outside.

"I wonder what's going on," said Jim, as they were walking inside the hospital.

A lot of people eyed them, wondering why they weren't excited.

One of Jim's coworkers ran up to him.

"Jim! Did you hear? It's all over the news!" he yelled, happily.

"Hear about what?" Jim answered, confused.

Then, Detective Louis came down the hall.

"Did someone get hurt?" Melinda asked, as they watched the detective speed walking towards them.

They ran up to him.

"Detective, what's going on?" asked Jim.

"You didn't hear?" the detective asked, breathlessly.

Melinda and Jim glanced at each other, and shook their heads.

The detective smiled.

"We… found your little girl today!"

There was a moment of silence.

"What?" Melinda asked, not believing what she just heard.

"We found your daughter, a couple of hours ago."

Mel and Jim looked at each other.

"That's impossible! Is she dead?" Jim asked, fearing the worst.

The detective shook his head.

"No, we found her alive, in Sunnyways. She's ok."

"Oh my God...," they whispered.

Melinda and Jim both fell to their knees.

They hugged each other, and cried.

Then they both rolled on the floor, surprisingly laughing.

The detective turned around, when Mel and Jim begun to kiss each other happily, something they didn't do for a long time.

They then got back up.

"Do you… want to see her?" the detective asked.

Jim and Melinda smiled and wiped their tears away.

"What do you think? We haven't seen her in seven years." said Melinda, and they begun walking.

"I just want to remind you two, 8+7=15. She's fifteen now, and… she doesn't remember… who she is."

Jim and Melinda stopped dead in their tracks.

"What?" asked Jim.

The detective sighed.

"I don't want you two to panic, but the couple who had her completely brainwashed her. They made her believe she is their daughter, and that her name is Theresa Ridge. Her father was a psychologist, so he would know how to brainwash her."

"Oh my poor little angel!" Melinda cried.

Jim put an arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah, so don't be surprised if she doesn't recognize you, or she has a breakdown or something. The father committed suicide right in front of her, and she really doesn't understand what is going on. She's still convinced her name is Tessa. She doesn't believe us when we tell her that she's Hayden Clancy."

"How did you find her?" asked Jim.

"The neighbour across the street saw a young girl in the front yard of the house. We're guessing she was always kept inside. Hayden got into a fight with the mother and Hayden took off her wig, and splashed water on her face, to reveal her freckles. Luckily, the neighbour was reading _The Missing Children Of The Past Decade. _She called, and we investigated. Still are, you will not believe what we found in the father's office, practically solves the case for us."

They then stopped at a hospital room door.

"Well, are you ready to see your daughter again?" The detective asked them.

Melinda and Jim were unsure, but they both nodded.

Jim opened the door and they both entered.

Hayden was just putting her uggs back on, since her examination was done. She was wearing a yellow v-neck, with American Eagle jeans. The yellow really made her look perfect, with her long dark, curly brown hair, her deep, almost black eyes, and her little freckles on her cheeks.

Melinda and Jim stared at her for a moment.

Hayden looked up at them.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Melinda and Jim continued staring.

"Um, hello?" Hayden asked again, getting a little freaked out.

Melinda and Jim both started crying once again.

Melinda completely ignored what the detective said, and started slowly walking towards Hayden.

"Baby… don't you recognize me?" Melinda asked, stepping nearer and nearer to Hayden.

Hayden shook her head.

"Sweet angel… I'm your mommy… I'm your mommy, this is your daddy."

Hayden shook her head.

"No, your not. He's not!" she yelled.

"Yes, Hayden, I'm your mommy. You're my baby girl."

She backed Hayden into a corner.

"No, I'm not." said Hayden, starting to get afraid.

Jim came to them.

"Melinda, remember what the detective said… she wont remember us."

Melinda turned to Jim.

"I DON'T CARE! I DON'T CARE!" she screamed, and turned to Hayden again.

"A LITTLE GIRL IS SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHO HER MOMMY IS!" she screamed again, and tried to hug Hayden.

Hayden pushed her off.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed, and begun to cry.

"I wont leave you alone Hayden, because I haven't seen you or touched you for seven years!" Melinda yelled, and cried some more.

There was only the sound of crying in the room.

"Hayden, your supposed to remember me!" she whimpered, and Jim took her in his arms.

She cried on this shoulder. Hayden got past them, and grabbed her things. 

_"I'M NOT HAYDEN!" _she screamed, and left the room.

She left her parents crying.

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

**As you guys can see, Mel sort of went into... shock, I guess, seeing Hayden again. She can't see that Hayden is fifteen, and not eight. I'm excited to read your reviews!**


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